Pressure vessel and method of making same



Sept. 5, 1939. H. DEBOR PRESSURE VESSEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAIE FiledAug. 31, 1936 INVENTGR HERMA NN DE BOR ANEY Patented Sept. 5, 1939PATENT OFFICE PRESSURE VESSEL AND METHOD or Ma ING SAME Hermann Debor,

Munich, Germany, assignor to Dominion Oxygen Company, Limited, acorporation of Canada Application August 31, In Germany Se is Claims.

This invention relates to metallic containers, and more particularly toprising a plurality of interconnected and preferably intersecting hollowspheroids.

Such containers have been constricting and expanding a tube to formspheroidal zones. Other pressure vessels of this type have been formedby casting or by welding together hollow sections.

The present invention relates to an improved The principal objects ofthe present invention are to provide improved processes for themanufacture of containers having a plurality of interconnectedspheroids; to provide an improved process for welding hemi-spheroidalshells together to form a container consisting of a series ofinterconnected hollow spheroids; and to provide a new and improvedsisting of interconnected hollow spheroids which may be fabricated fromelements formed from sheet metal. These and. other objects of theinvention will become apparent from the following description and fromthe accompanying drawing showing an' elevational view partly in sec-'tion of a container embodying features of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, a container made ac cording to the presentinvention comprises a pair of end sections it and I2 consisting ofhollow hemi-spheroidal elements, and a plurality of similar shapedelements or shells l3 and i4 comprising intermediatefisections. Theshells are preferably formed in any convenient manner from sheet metalaccording to any well known process, for example, by stamping orspinning. The bottom end section I2 consists of a cap of substantiallyhemi-spherical shape, Preferably provided with an annular, inwardlyprojecting flange l5 at a zone adjacent to the rim l6 about the openend. The intermediate sections l3 and I4, and the top end section I lcomprise truncated hemi-spheroidal shells, each having an aperture l8,preferably of circular shape, formed by perforating the wall of theshell opposite the largediameter end. The annular zone adjacent to therimof the large-diameter end is bent inwardly to 1936, Serial No. 98,764ptember 5, 1935 form the flanges l9 so that when the respective sectionsare placed together, that is with the large-diameter ends of adjoiningsections juxtaposed, a circumferential groove I! is formed. Similarlythe peripheral zone adjacent to the aperture I8 of each intermediatesection is deformed so as to provide flanges 20 which form the innerannular groove 2| when adjacent sections are placed together with thelarge-diameter ends opposed. The zone adjacent to the aperture l8 of thetop end section I I may be provided with an inwardly projecting flange22 which serves as a means for mounting a filling and discharge neck 23for the container. The inner end 24 of the neck 23 preferably flaresoutwardly and overlaps the flange 22. Weld material 25 may be depositedin the annular groove formed between the flange 22 and the neck 23.

According to one method of assembling the pressure vessel, the desirednumber of intermediate sections l3 and M are assembled in pairs back toback, that is, with the large diameter ends opposed and with adjoiningapertures l8 properly aligned so as to form the groove 2 I. Therespective sections l3 and It may then be united in pairs by depositingsolder, braze material, or weld metal 26 (all of which are hereindescribed and claimed as weld metal or weld material) within the groove2| through the large-diameter end of either section I3 or M. Theassembled pairs of intermediate sections may then be positioned adjacentone another so that the rims of the largediameter ends align to form thegrooves l1. Solder, braze material, or weld metal 21 may then be appliedin the outer annular grooves I! to unite the pairs of intermediatesections in a ion.- gitudinally extending series of interconnectedspheroids, until the container has attained the desired length. The rimsof the end sections I and 12 are then welded (or brazed, etc.) about theperiphery to the respective large-diameter ends of the terminalintermediate sections in a similar manner so as to complete thecontainer.

As an optional method of assembly, an end section may be welded aboutits rim to the adjoining hemi-spherical shell comprising an intermediatesection, after which successive intermediate sections I3 and [4 may bewelded alternately about the edges of the small diameter end or aperturel8 and about the rim of the largediameter end until the container hasattained the desired length, at which time the opposite end section maybe welded in place. In either case the weld material may be depositedeither within the groove, or simply about the edges of the aperture IIby inserting a welding tool from the open end of each shell.

As the inner end 24 of the neck I! flares outwardly and bears againstthe flange 2!, pressure and I! may project inwardly a distance greateror less than the adjoining flange, as shown in the drawing and as shownand claimed in my United States Patent No. 2,148,234, to permit the rimsto align themselves for welding when placed in the approximate position,and to obviate the need of a jig in the assembly operation. Otherwise,the flanges II and I! may be made identical, in which case .they abutalong an annular edge. The grooves l1 and 2| may be made by fianging therims of the hemi-spheroidal shells and the edges of the aperturedportions, in any convenicnt manner, or the grooves may be formed byproviding a slight space between the two adjoining parts and withoutdeforming the edges. The groove 2| and the deposit of weld material 26which serve to reinforce the spheroids at the plane of intersection, maybe enlarged as the size of the aperture l8 decreases, to provide theadditional support required for such change in the proportions.

Certain details of the hereindisclosed container and the processes ofmaking the same may be varied without departing from the principles ofthis invention or sacrificing its advantages.

I claim:

1. Process for producing a metallic pressure vessel having a series ofinterconnected hollow spheroidal zones, said process comprisingdeforming sheet metal to form hollow hemispheroidal end sections andhollow hemispheroidal intermediate sections. axially aperturing theintermediate sections, joining the respective intermediate sections inaxial alignment by welding the margins of adjoining apertures togetherand by welding the rims of adjoining sections together, and welding therims of the end sections to the rims of the opposed intermediatesections.

2. Process for producing a metallic pressure vessel having a series ofinterconnected hollow spheroidal zones formed of assembled hollowhemi-spheroidal end sections and hollow axially aperturedhemi-spheroidal intermediate sections, said process comprising bendingthe rims of the end sections and the rims of the intermediate sections.inwardly to form an outer annular groove when adjacent sections are inassembled position, bending the edges of the respective aperturesinwardly to form an inner annular groove when adjacent sections are inassembled relation, and securing the respective sections together bydepositing weld metal in the respective grooves.

3. Process for producing a metallic pressure vessel consisting of aseries of interconnected hollow spheroidal zones, said processcomprising forming hollow hemi-spheroidal end sections, forming hollowhemispheroidal intermediate sections, aperturing the intermediatesections, placing each pair of intermediate sections adjacent to oneanother with the large-diameter ends oppositely disposed andwith therespective apertures juxtaposed, securing the respective intermediatesections together in pairs by welding about the edges of adjoiningapertures, welding such pairs together about the ribs of adjoininglarge-diameter ends, and welding the rims of the end sections to theoutwardly disposed rims of the terminal intermediate sections.

a 4. Process according to claim 8 wherein the edges of the apertures andthe rims of the largediameter ends are flanged inwardly forming annulargrooves when the sections are assembled, and wherein the welding isperformed in the annular grooves.

5. Process according to claim 1 wherein the adjacent intermediatesections are successively welded alternately about the apertures andabout the rims.

6. Process according to claim 8 wherein at least one of the end sectionsis welded about its rim to the adjoining intermediate section after theintermediate sections have all been welded together.

7. In the process of producing a metallic pressure vessel having of aseries of interconnected hollow spheroidal zones formed from a pair ofhollow end sections and at least one pair of axially perforatedhemispheroidal intermediate sections, the steps comprising mounting theintermediate sections with the perforations adjacent, securing saidintermediate sections together by welding about the edges of theperforations, and welding the rims of said end sections to theoppositely disposed rims of said intermediate sections.

8. In the process of forming a pressure vessel of intersecting hollowspheroids by assembling a series of hemispheroidal shells havingapertures opposite the large-diameter ends; the steps comprisingpositioning the shells together alternately with the apertures andlarge-diameter ends in juxtaposed relation and welding the shellstogether about the edges of the apertures and about the rims of thelarge-diameter ends.

9. In the process' of forming a pressure vessel of intersecting hollowspheroids by assembling a series of hemispheroidal shells havingapertures opposite the large-diameter ends; the steps comprisingpositioning the shells together alternately with the apertures andlarge-diameter ends in juxtaposed relation and welding the shellstogether about an inner annular zone adjacent to the periphery of theapertures and about an outer annular zone adjacent to the rims of thelargediameter ends.

10. In the process of forming a pressure vessel of intersecting hollowspheroids by assembling a series of hemi-spheroidal shells havingapertures opposite the large-diameter ends; the steps comprisingpositioning pairs oi shells together with respective apertures injuxtaposed relation, welding the shells about an inner annular zoneadjacent to the periphery of the apertures, subsequently positioning therespective welded pairs together with the rims of the large-diameterends in juxtaposed relation and welding the pairs together about anouter annular zone adjacent to the rims of the large-diameter ends.

11. A pressure vessel of interconnected hollow spheroids comprisinghollow substantially hemispherical end sections, and a plurality ofhollow substantially hemi-spherical intermediate sections, each of saidintermediate sections being provided with an aperture opposite itslarge-diameter end, said intermediate sections being mutually weldedtogether adjacent to the periphery of the respective adjoining aperturesand about the rims of the respective adjoining large-diameter ends, theend sections being welded about the rims to the rims of the terminalintermediate sections.

12. A pressure vessel comprising a plurality oi truncated substantiallyhemi-spherical shells joined together to form a longitudinally extendingseries of interconnected spheroids, said shells being secured by jointsextending alternately about the large diameter and small diameter endsof said shells, said joints being welded.

13. In a pressure vessel comprising a plurality of interconnected hollowspheroids; a structural element comprising a truncated substantiallyhelm-spherical shell, the large diameter rim and g the small diameterrim of each shell being flanged I inwardly.

HERMANN DEBOR.

